Quarterfinals: New Blood

Kai Budde vs. Brad Nelson

Kai Budde, the German Juggernaut, was playing in his tenth lifetime Pro Tour Top 8, while Brad Nelson from the U.S. was only in his second. But whereas Budde's previous Top 8s had all been years ago, Nelson was currently on a streak, just having made Top 8 at the last Pro Tour in San Juan at the end of May. The match-up, White Weenie versus Treehouse, apparently didn't favor any player either, so this was certainly going to be an interesting match to watch.

Indeed, it turned out to be the latter, when Nelson cast Maelstrom Pulse to kill off all three Knights. Brave the Elements granted protection from green and rendered a lot of possible attacks from Nelson moot as well. Instead he just pumped his Putrid Leech up to 5/5 flying via Elspeth and attacked with it. That left life totals at 11 to 8 in Budde's favor.

The very next turn, however, he drew the Maelstrom Pulse and left Budde with Knight of the White Orchid as his only creature. Nelson started to get some damage in himself. He needed to end this fast, before Budde found a way to finish him off. It was close, but Budde had Brave the Elements to sneak in the final points of damage.

"Come on, Ranger of Eos—come on, Antoine," Budde commanded, looking encouragingly at the top card of his library.

It wasn't. It was Knight of the White Orchid. Still he decided to attack with his massive flyer, to take Nelson to 9, with the Knight back on defense as a chumpblocker. One more attack and this match would be over. Nelson was looking for a topdeck, potentially a removal spell. What he did in fact get was Kitchen Finks. Not quite the same, but it did bring him up to 11 and bought him just the time he needed to bring things home.

With a sigh, Budde dropped a fifth land onto the battlefield and passed without play. When Doran attacked Budde had Path to Exile, but one down, more to come: Nelson summoned another Doran and on his next turn cast Elspeth, Knight-Errant. Budde was out of spells and soon after out of life.